11 reasons to watch the Steelers during training camp: Ben Roethlisberger

As we get closer Steelers training camp, every day the Channel 11 Sports staff will give you one of 11 reasons to watch training camp.

Reason 11:

The most important player for the Steelers' success this reason is Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben remains a top-five quarterback, which makes him a candidate for NFL MVP again.

He’s the catalyst for one of the most explosive offenses in the league, and finished second in the NFL last season with 283 yards passing per game.

The only quarterbacks besides Roethlisberger who have won more than 20 games and have thrown for more than 45 touchdowns over the last two seasons are Tom Brady and Matt Ryan.

In year 15, health is priority number one, because even with all the talent on this offense, it doesn’t go without Ben Roethlisberger.

Reason 10:

Well on the road to recovery, Ryan Shazier’s future appears to be bright. However, there’s no questioning how much the Steelers will miss his presence at inside linebacker.

Vince Williams had a nice season last year with eight sacks, but the Jaguars were able to exploit the Steelers on the inside during the playoff loss.

Tyler Matakevich is healthy, and says he knows everyone is counting him out, so he’s ready to prove the naysayers wrong.

According to Chase Williams, the Steelers’ best hope is that Vince Williams and Matakevich have career years and can be counted on when it matters most.

Reason 9:

Veteran cornerback Joe Haden signed with the Steelers at the start of last season, and this year he'll be joined in the secondary by another veteran, Morgan Burnett, who came to the Steelers as a free agent after eight years with the Green Bay Packers.

Burnett brings a wealth of leadership and experience. He's played in 11 playoff games.

And along with Haden, he'll join two third-year players, cornerback Artie Burns and safety Sean Davis, in the Steelers secondary. And don’t forget rookie Terrell Edmunds, although as of Sunday he had not reached a contract agreement with the team.

Reason 8:

Thanks to a trade on the first night of the NFL draft, Martavis Bryant is now an Oakland Raider, and the Steelers are looking to fill a void in their receiving corps.

Bryant had 50 receptions and 603 receiving yards last season, but was fourth on the team in receiving behind Antonio Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster and Le’Veon Bell.

Darrius Heyward-Bey returns for a fifth season with the Steelers, and a player to keep an eye on is rookie James Washington, this year’s second-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State.

Ben Roethlisberger passed for 4,251 yards last season, and there’s no reason to believe the Steelers can’t have another high-octane offense in 2018.

Reason 7:

The Steelers have won 22 division championships in their history, and Chase Williams predicts they will win No. 23 this season, barring major injury, because the rest of the AFC North isn’t that good.

But it should be an interesting division this season, especially at the quarterback position. The Browns took Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall, but he’ll sit. Tyrod Taylor is good enough to stack perhaps seven wins together. And with the addition of receivers and offensive coordinator Todd Haley, the Browns shouldn’t be underestimated.

The Ravens’ decision to draft quarterback Lamar Jackson is very interesting. Some called him the most talented quarterback in the draft.

Reason 6:

The Steelers have a pair of first-rounders at outside linebacker.

Bud Dupree, the team’s top pick in 2016, mans the left outside linebacker position and T.J. Watt, the Steelers’ first-rounder in 2017, holds the fort at right outside linebacker.

But that wasn’t the case for most of the Steelers’ off-season workouts, when Dupree moved to the right and Watt to the left.

It was a bit of an experiment for the Steelers and two of their younger players. They hesitated to implement that move in the middle of last season, but it might be something they’ll try through camp and the 2018 regular season.

Reason 5:

Last season we saw history: Antonio Brown became the first receiver in the history of the NFL to record 100 or more catches for a fifth straight seasons. But can he make it to six?

Channel 11 Sports anchor Chase Williams says the answer to that is yes.

Antonio Brown has defied the odds since being drafted 195th overall nine years ago. His route-running is pristine and he catches anything thrown his way.

There may be a sideline blowup at some point, but while that is a distraction for some, it appears to fuel Brown. He produces for the team, and that's not expected to change this season.

Reason 4:

With Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, just to name three, the Steelers will once again have one of the NFL's high-powered offenses. But just as key to the success of this year's offense are the five linemen in front of Roethlisberger.

Center Maurkice Pouncey will anchor the line, with Ramon Foster and Al Villaneuva on the left and David DeCastro and Marcus Gilbert on the right.

It all starts with the men up front, and the Steelers can feel comfortable with the fact that their 2018 offensive line will have continuity and cohesiveness.

Reason 3:

When Le’Veon Bell turned down the contract offer that was on the table before last season, the outcome of playing under the franchise tag a second year was all but a given.

However, this means the Steelers have one last shot at a title with Le'Veon Bell in their backfield.

Chase Williams says he understands both sides of the situation. The Steelers don’t want to commit that much money for that length of time, regardless of talent. And Le’Veon Bell has stood by his word and is now betting on himself.

He has to put up numbers this season if he wants that big payday, and that’s good for the Steelers’ shot at a Super Bowl. In the meantime, the clock now starts ticking on the James Conner era.

Reason 2:

JuJu Smith-Schuster was one of the top stories for the Steelers last season. He’s also one of the reasons for optimism as the Steelers get ready to head to training camp.

Smith-Schuster was chosen in the second round of the NFL Draft last year, a steal with the 62nd pick. Speaking of steals, his stolen bike and passing his driving test were each headlines in his rookie season.

But he really made headlines on the field. Smith-Schuster finished the season with 58 receptions and was second on the team only to Antonio Brown with 917 receiving yards. His 240 return yards made him the youngest player in NFL history to record one thousand all-purpose yards in a season.

A knee injury limited Smith-Schuster for organized team activities and mini-camp, but he says he’ll be ready to go when camp starts on July 25 at St. Vincent College.

Reason 1:

As Ben Roethlisberger gets ready for his 15th season, the possible Steelers quarterback of the future, Mason Rudolph, is preparing for his first.

Roethlisberger is the undisputed leader of the Steelers. His No. 1 quarterback spot, and his legacy, are set in stone.

But how likely is it – and if so, how long – before Rudolph emerges as Ben's backup? And what will become of Josh Dobbs, the fourth quarterback in camp?

Quarterback will be a position to watch as the Steelers prepare for training camp.

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